Grave-protector



PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

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GRAVE PROTECTOR.

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PIQLFPINTED FEB. 23, 1904.

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APPLIGATION PIT-1E1) SEPT. 10, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1994.

PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM H. HALFAKER, OF CLARK TOWNSHIP, JOHNSON COUNTY,

INDIANA.

GRAVE-PROTECTOR.

- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 752,902, dated February 23, 1904.

Application filed September 10, 1903. Serial No. 172,539. (No model.)

To all whom, it In y concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HALIFAKER,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Qlark specification.

Thisinvention relates to appliances for temporarily protecting new-made graves against grave-robbers, and it has reference more particularly to metallic covers for the graves and the means for securing and sealing the covers.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive grave-protector which when employed will force the would-be robher to make such unusual effort and assume so much risk that it will deter him from making the attempt to despoil the grave of its contents.

Another object is to provide a knockdown protector which may be conveniently stored in cemeteries for rental purposes to be employed only until the time may have passed when corpses would be desired for dissecting purposes, to the end that persons of moderate and small means may obtain protection at small cost for the graves of friends and relatives.

This invention consists in a portable metallic cover provided with anchors adapted to be inserted into solid ground and to engage the cover and means for locking and sealing the cover to the anchors.

The invention consists also in means whereby private marks may be imprinted on graves, so that if disturbed further evidence of the fact would be added.

Also the invention consists, 'further, in the parts and combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a protector constructed in accordance with the invention set upin operative position on the ground;-Fig.

2, an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a top plan to the ground; Fig. 7, an elevation of a form of rod'that is employed for locking and sealing the cover in connection with the anchors; Fig. 8, a vertical transverse sectional view of the appliances on the line Z Z in Fig. 3, showing also the undisturbed parts of the earth and also the filled-in earth in the top of a grave and the mound thereon in cross-sectionbeneath the cover; Fig. 9, a perspective view of a modified form of cover-body'and one end thereof in its operative relation thereto; Fig. 10, an end view of a modified form of coverbody; and Fig. 11, a perspective view of the private-mark mold shown in connection with Figs. 5 and 8.

In construction suitable metals are mainly employed, and the body of the cover may be formed in various fanciful shapes, either with or without detachable ends, to suit graves having mounds of various contours or those without mounds thereon, as may be desired. In the preferred form the body of the cover comprises two oblique angle-platesA and B, hav ing hinge parts a 5 connected together by a removable rod C, having an eye 0 at one end thereof and an eye (Z at its opposite end, the plates being alike in size and shape, each plate having a base-flange e or. e at the edge thereof opposite its hinge. When in use, the body is supported by the base-flanges on the ground, the flanges having each a suitable number of apertures f therein for securing the coverbody to the ground. The base-flange is formed at an oblique angle to the plane of the platebody, so that the two plates are inclined to correspond to the inclined sides of gravemounds. Two like ends D D are provided for closing the ends of the body, completing the covering for the grave, each end having a base-flange g or g at the lower outer part thereof and a flange it at the upper inner part thereof, which is in the form of a gable end, the flange 7t fitting over the top of the coverbody. The gable ends have each an aperture 71 in the upper portion thereof through which the rod C extends. The ends have ears 'at opposite sides above the base-flanges provided with apertures k, and in some cases each baseflange has an aperture Zfor anchoring the end to the ground, although usually this may not be desired. If desired, of course, two such apertures may be provided in the ends of the flange. V

For securing the cover to the ground various forms of anchors may be provided, the preferred form comprising a screw type E or E, each having a head the diameter of which is greater than either of the apertures f and provided with an aperture m to receive a rod F, formed like the rod 0, the anchor having aflat twisted body n, adapted to be screwed into the ground through an aperture f, as in Fig. 8, where Y indicates the solid earth at the sides of the grave and X indicates the loose earth in the grave and the mound thereon.

When the cover is placed in position and the anchors inserted in their places, their heads bearing upon the flanges e e in rows, the rods may be inserted in the apertures m and is, extending through the ears 1' of both ends of the cover, and padlocks G and seals H are provided to be connected in the eyes 01 of the rod C and two rods F F, the eyes 0 thereof serv' ing as heads, as well as means for withdrawing the rods when knocking down the cover. The parts of the cover may thus be connected together and both locked and sealed.

The body-plate B has an aperture 12, adapted to receive a rod I, and the plate A has a larger aperture 9, adapted to loosely receive the rod, which has an eye 0, adapted to receive one of the rods F, and the rod I may be forced through the mound of the grave and also secured by a lock G and a seal H, as well as by the rod F. A perforate closing-plate J acts as a washer on the rod I to close the larger aperture q, and the plate J may be held securely in place by an anchor E. The use of the rod I may in some cases be dispensed with, if desired.

Various forms of private marks may be formed on the top of the grave by means of a mold or molds, such as a cross-mold K, which is connected to the cover-plate A by means of holders 1" and 8, attached thereto, and lips tattached to the mold.

In Fig. 9 is shown a cover-body L, formed of one piece only, having vertical sides a u and a flat top and base-flanges '0 '0, having apertures l to receive the anchors. The ends M are of suitable shapes to correspond to the body form and have each flanges w and ac and ears y, having apertures 2 to receive the rods F, the rod C not being required. If desired, the cover may be entirely flat without the sides u u, the ends M in such case being unnecessary.

In Fig. 10 the cover-body Nshown is crowning, nearly flat, having base-flanges?) and 4, like the other base-flanges above described, and with this body may be used ends somewhat similar to the ends M, modified to suit.

In practical use after having arranged the earth on a grave to conform to the shape of the metallic cover the cover body and ends are to be placed over the grave, the baseflanges resting on solid earth about the grave. Should it be desired to imprint a private mark on the grave, the mold therefor should be used and then removed before securing the cover to the ground. The anchors should be driven into the hard ground about the grave, so as to engage the base-flanges of the cover. Anchors E may be used to secure the ends of the cover to the ground, if desired. The horizontal rods should then be placed in proper positions in the rows of anchors, thus preventing the anchors from being screwed out of the ground and also preventing the withdrawal of any one or two of the anchors, except by drastic measures that must leave telltale marks. After arranging the rods the locks should be applied and also the seals, if

desired, so that the rods could not be removed except by force, and if the cover should be forcibly opened the fact could not be concealed, as will be apparent, and this fact would deter grave-robbers from attempting to open the grave thus protected, knowing an investigation would follow within a few hours thereafter and lead to detection.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A grave-protector including a cover having integral bases, a plurality of sets of an chors for the cover having each an aperture therein, and a plurality of headed rods for insertion in the apertures of the anchors and having each an aperture therein to receive a lock or seal.

2. A grave-protector including a cover having integral external bases provided each with a series of apertures, a plurality of sets of anchors for insertion in the apertures of the bases and having each an apertured head, and a plurality of headed rods for insertion in the apertured heads of the anchors and having each an aperture therein to receive a lock or seal.

3. A grave-protector including a cover having apertured base-flanges, opposing cover ends having apertures therein, anchors having apertured heads for engagement with the tops of the base-flanges, and rods for insertion in the apertures of the anchor-heads and also those in the cover ends and having each a head and also an aperture for sealing the rod in its operative position.

4. A grave-protector including a cover-body ha'ving apertured base-flanges, a pair of cover ends having flanges for engagement with the upper portions of the cover-body and also having apertures therein, anchors having apertured heads for cooperation with the baseflanges, and rods for insertion in the apertured heads and in the apertures of the cover ends and having apertures therein.

5. A grave-protector including a cover-body having apertured base-flanges, a pair of cover ends having bases and also having apertured ears, anchors having apertured heads for 00- operation with the apertured base-flanges, apertured rods for cooperation with the apertured heads of the anchors and also with the apertured ears of the cover ends.

6. A grave-protector including a cover-body having apertured base-flanges, opposing cover ends having apertured ears, apertured anchors engaging the tops-of the base-flanges and extending through the apertures therein, apertured rods extending through the apertures in the anchors and in the ears, and locks in the apertures in the rods.

7. A grave-protector comprising an aper tured cover body having apertured baseflanges, opposing flanged cover ends having apertured ears, apertured anchors engaging the tops of the base-flanges and extending through the apertures therein, a pair of apertured rods extending through the apertures in the anchors and in the ears, an apertured rod engaged by one of the pair of apertured rods and extending through the apertures in the cover-body, and locks in the apertures in the rods.

8. A grave-protector comprising a cover provided with a removable mold at the under side thereof and also with a pair of apertured bases, and anchors for cooperation with the apertured bases.

9. In a grave-protector, the combination with a metallic cover, of a plurality of anchors arranged in sets and having each a flat twisted body and also an apertured head cooperating with the cover, a plurality of apertured rods each inserted in the apertures of a set of the anchors, and locks in the apertures of the rods.

10. In a grave-protector, the combination with a metallic cover having apertured bases, of a plurality of anchors arranged in sets and having flat twisted bodies and also apertured heads cooperating with the apertured bases,

a plurality of apertured rods having heads and each inserted'in the apertured heads of a set of the anchors, and seals connected in the apertures of the rods.

11. In a grave-protector, the combination of a cover having base-flanges, screw-anchors cooperating with the base-flanges, and detachable locking means connected with the anchors preventing rotation thereof.

12-. In a grave-protector, the combination of a cover comprising a body, a pair of ends engaging the body, rods engaging the ends and connecting the body thereto, and anchors securing the body to the ground and engaging the rods and thereby connecting the rods with the body.

13. In agrave-protector, the combination of a cover-body comprising two plates hinged together by means of an apertured rod having a head, said plates having each an aperturedbase, a pair of cover ends having flanges engaging the plates of the cover-body and also having bases and apertured ears, anchors having apertured heads cooperating with the apertured bases, and apertured rods cooperating with the apertured heads of the anchors and also with the apertured ears of the ends.

14.. In a grave-protector, the combination of a cover-body having amold-holder attached to the under side thereof, a mold removably attached to the mold-holder, anchors cooperating with the cover-body, and seals for the anchors.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. HALFAKER. Witnesses:

WM. H. PAYNE, E. T. Srnvrus. 

